When you take your car in to be serviced for an oil change, does the mechanic add new oil to the existing oil? 

Nope. That would gunk up your car. You have to get rid of the old oil before you add the new oil to it, so your car runs more efficiently. 

Your body needs this as well. 

It needs to eliminate the old – the stuff that’s clogging it up – before adding anything fresh and new in order to get better results. 

Our body is an amazing and complex system and helping it eliminate and cleanse naturally can sometimes be challenging when we’re constantly being bombarded by toxicants from the food we eat, to the breath we breathe, and the products we put on our skin and hair. 

There is a seemingly never-ending number of chemicals we’re bringing into our bodies that make it less able to function and detoxify like it was meant to. 

So to reach your optimal health and fertility, you need to give your body a helping hand because these harmful substances and pollutants are affecting your hormones. They’re known as endocrine disruptors, and while you may not recognize it, these disruptors can show up in other ways in your body as well, 

For example, if you have skin issues like eczema, if you’re congested on a regular basis or foods make you congested,  if you’re constipated, if you are gaining weight, a lot of that can come from these toxicants coming in contact with your body, either through your skin or by ingesting or by breathing it.  From a reproductive standpoint, this may show up as endometriosis or fibroids.

We technically have six organs in our body that support detoxification or the process of removing toxic substances out of our body. These organs are your skin (your largest organ), your colon, your liver, kidneys, lungs, and lymph. And the products and foods that come into contact with your body either help or hinder your fertility.

When you change your environment, you can support your ability to get pregnant and stay pregnant by improving your overall health at a cellular level. This means you’re boosting egg (and sperm) quality, and you’re reducing inflammation overall.

Again, while your body naturally detoxifies, certain toxicants can keep it from doing this efficiently, such as

• • • • Foods like sugars, refined products, sodas, caffeinated drinks;  
      • Environmental pollutants like herbicides and pesticides; 
      • Household items like new furniture, a new rug, or Teflon cookware 
      • Skincare and Beauty Products

These substances come in to your body, and they need to be eliminated. 

Here are three simple tips to boost your body’s ability to detoxify that pack a punch and support multiple systems.  

Drink, Drink, Drink

First, drink all the water. I’m sure you’ve heard of this before, and I say it all the time (and hopefully it’ll push you to do it again).

Water helps move your bowels (and toxins) out of your system, it helps urine (more waste) flow out of your kidneys, and it builds circulation, which delivers nutrients to your egg and his sperm cells.

This step is so important, and you may be thinking you’ll be in the bathroom a lot. Frankly, you probably will be there more often, BUT know that this is a key factor in getting rid of the chemicals that may be harming your fertility.  

I recommend starting your day with lemon water. Add the juice of one half of a lemon to warm water and continue drinking at least half your weight in ounces of water.  In other words, if you weigh 150 pounds, you will be drinking 75 ounces of water.   

Drinking more water may help you feel more awake, more alert, and full, so you are less likely to overeat.

Not all liquids are alike. Your caffeinated coffee or that milk- and sugar-laden Starbucks latte does not count towards your daily dose. However, green, herbal, and fruit teas are a good option as long as they are unsweetened or lightly sweetened with pure honey. 

Veggies with Each Meal

Next is to eat 2-3 servings of veggies per meal. This includes any vegetable, especially leafy greens and cruciferous ones like broccoli and cauliflower (which seems to be in everything these days). 

These grown-from-the-ground babies pack a major fertility boosting punch. 

Not only do they help you stay regular (and move that food out), they’re also packed with nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, which your body needs.

Two to three servings may look like two handfuls of spinach with eggs or added to a smoothie.  Lunch can be like a big salad (like A Fruitful Body Salad), and dinner can be a stir fry or a big pot of soup with lots of vegetables.  

Don’t forget to add spices and herbs. They’ll make your veggies more delicious and enjoyable, and it will be easier to stay consistent.

Brush Your Skin

Third, brush your skin. You brush your hair and you brush your teeth. Now try brushing your skin.

That’s right. Your skin is your biggest organ, and about one third of your body’s impurities are released through the skin each day. 

Dry brushing helps remove dead and sometimes toxic skin cells, and it promotes lymph flow. I recommend doing this before a morning shower, since it can energizing if you were to do it before an evening shower. 

To dry brush, use a natural bristle brush like this one (affiliate link). They’re pretty  inexpensive, and I recommend doing this 1-2 times a week, typically before you shower. I usually do this on the days I wash my hair.

Take the brush, and start with your feet and brush upwards in a circular motion. Then, from your fingertips toward your body. And then, brush from your neck towards your heart. 

Dry brushing increases your blood flow, it brushes away dead and possibly toxic skin cells, and smooths your skin.

The mindful time you take to brush and exfoliate your skin is also a great form of self care.

I believe that your fertility is a function of your whole health, and if your body is your home, it’s important to clean it and take out the trash on a regular basis. 

Xo,

Ami